Paraguay captain Gustavo Gómez reflects on his team’s historic qualification to the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup after eliminating Germany in a tense penalty shootout. Speaking after the match, Gómez says Paraguay showed unity and resilience, and that the squad managed to respond to criticism and perform under pressure. He also comments on Germany’s approach, saying Germany knew it would need intense effort—summarized in his remarks as having to “sudate sangre” (“bleed”)—to defeat Paraguay. Gómez credits the team’s character and collective strength for overcoming the match’s difficulty and securing the win from the spot. According to the reports, he also notes personal contribution during the shootout, where he converts a penalty, and he dedicates the result to his family and to Paraguayan supporters. The articles agree that the penalty shootout is the decisive moment and that the victory lifts Paraguay into the round of 16, marking a milestone for the national team.